INTERSTITIAL LASER THERAPY CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20080188841A1
• Filed: 02/04/2008
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novian Health, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Novian Health, Inc.
• Inventors: Appelbaum, Henry R., Graveman, William, Dowlatshahi, Kambiz, Tomasello, Anthony J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,179,247 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/11
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/24 with a catheter A61B18/26, A61B18/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00101 using an array of thermosensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2005 with beam delivery through an interstitially insertable device, e.g. needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/11 with guides for needles or instruments, e.g. arcuate slides or ball joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0601 Apparatus for use inside the body

Abstract

An interstitial laser therapy control system is disclosed. The control system includes a thermistor controller apparatus, a microprocessor, a storage device, at least one input device, a display, an electro-mechanical shutter switch, an electro-mechanical emergency shutoff switch, and an electro-mechanical master power switch. The microprocessor is configured to monitor temperatures detected by one or more thermistors connected to the thermistor controller. Based on the temperatures, the microprocessor determines when treatment has been successful and when application of laser energy needs to be halted. The control system also enables an operator to pause and resume treatment using the input device. The electro-mechanical shutter switch sends a signal to a laser source to close a shutter on the laser. The electro-mechanical emergency stop button causes power to be cut off to the laser source. The electro-mechanical master power switch shuts off power to all components in the interstitial laser therapy apparatus.

Claims

1. An interstitial laser therapy control system comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one input device;

at least one memory device; and

a microprocessor configured to operate with at least one display device, at least one input device, and at least one memory device to;

(a) receive a plurality of thermistor temperature data sets from a thermistor controller, the thermistor temperature data sets representing temperatures detected by a plurality of thermistors;

(b) send at least one signal to control the amount of laser energy emitted by a laser source during an interstitial laser treatment;

(c) send at least one signal to cause the laser source to stop emitting laser energy if a first thermistor temperature data set indicates that a designated number of thermistors did not indicate a thermistor temperature; and

(d) send at least one signal to cause the laser source to stop emitting laser energy if a second thermistor temperature data set indicates a temperature of a treated tissue that exceeds a designated maximum tissue temperature.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the designated number of thermistors is equal to the number of thermistors connected to the thermistor controller.

3. The control system of claim 1, wherein the designated number of thermistors is one or greater but less than the number of thermistors connected to the thermistor controller.

4. An interstitial laser therapy control system comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one input device;

at least one memory device; and

a microprocessor configured to operate with at least one display device, at least one input device, and at least one memory device to;

(a) receive a plurality of thermistor temperature data sets, each data set indicating temperatures detected by a thermistor of a laser probe and a plurality of thermistors of a thermal probe;

(b) determine from a first thermistor temperature data set whether each thermistor indicates a thermistor temperature;

(c) send at least one signal to cause a laser source to stop emitting laser energy if a second thermistor temperature data set indicates a temperature for the thermistor of the laser probe above a designated maximum laser probe thermistor temperature;

(d) display a third thermistor temperature data set indicating temperatures of the thermistor of the laser probe and each thermistor of the thermal probe;

(e) store data indicating the treated tissue reached the designated treatment-complete temperature if a fourth thermistor temperature data set indicates a temperature for each thermistor of the thermal probe exceeding a designated treatment-complete temperature;

(f) send at least one signal to cause the laser source to stop emitting laser energy if a fifth thermistor temperature data sets indicates that the thermistor of the laser probe is not functioning properly; and

(g) send at least one signal to cause the laser source to emit laser energy if the user activates at least one input device to resume treatment after receives the fifth thermistor temperature data set; and

(h) send at least one signal to cause the laser source to stop emitting laser energy if one of the thermistor temperature data sets indicates that a designated number of thermistors did not indicate a thermistor temperature;

5. The control system of claim 4, wherein the microprocessor is configured to receive thermistor temperature data from a thermistor controller.

6. The control system of claim 4, wherein the designated maximum laser probe thermistor temperature is approximately 100°

C.-105°

C.

7. The control system of claim 4, wherein the designated treatment-complete temperature is approximately 60°

C.

8. The control system of claim 4, wherein the designated number of thermistors that did not indicate a thermistor temperature one or greater but less than the total number of thermistors.

9. An interstitial laser therapy control system comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one input device;

at least one memory device;

a microprocessor configured to operate with at least one display device, at least one input device, and at least one memory device to;

(a) receive a thermistor temperature data set indicating the temperature detected by a thermistor of a laser probe and a plurality of thermistors of a thermal probe;

(b) send at least one signal to cause a laser source to stop emitting laser energy if the thermistor temperature data set indicates temperature for the thermistor of the laser probe that exceeds a designated maximum laser probe thermistor temperature;

(c) send at least one signal to cause the laser source to stop emitting laser energy if the thermistor temperature data set indicates that a designated number of thermistors did not indicate a thermistor temperature; and

(d) send at least one signal to cause the laser source to stop emitting laser energy if the thermistor temperature data set indicates that the thermistor of the laser probe did not indicate a thermistor temperature;

an electro-mechanical shutter switch configured to send at least one signal to the laser source to cause a shutter to close;

an electro-mechanical emergency shutoff switch configured to cut off power to the laser source; and

an electro-mechanical master power switch configured to cut off power to the laser source, the microprocessor, and the thermistor controller.

10. The control system of claim 9, wherein the microprocessor is configured to receive thermistor temperature data from a thermistor controller.

11. The control system of claim 9 wherein the designated maximum laser probe thermistor temperature is approximately 100°

C.-105°

C.

12. The control system of claim 9, wherein the designated treatment-complete temperature is approximately 60°

C.

13. The control system of claim 9, wherein the designated number of thermistors is one or greater but less than the number of thermistors on the laser probe and the thermal probe.

14. The control system of claim 9, wherein the microprocessor is configured to send at least one signal to cause the laser source to emit laser energy if a user activates the input device to resume treatment after the thermistor temperature data set indicated that the thermistor of the laser probe did not indicate a thermistor temperature.

15. An interstitial laser therapy control system comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one input device;

at least one memory device; and

a microprocessor configured to operate with a display device, an input device, and a memory device to;

(a) control an interstitial laser treatment which includes obtaining a first thermistor temperature data set, a second thermistor temperature data set, a third thermistor temperature data set, and a fourth thermistor temperature data set, wherein each thermistor temperature data set indicates a set of temperatures detected by a plurality of thermistors;

(b) send at least one signal to a laser source to cause the laser source to emit a designated amount of laser energy after receiving a first thermistor temperature data set;

(c) send at least one signal to cause the laser source to stop emitting laser energy if the second thermistor temperature data set indicates temperature for a thermistor of a laser probe above a designated maximum temperature;

(d) send at least one signal to cause the laser source to stop emitting laser energy if the operator activates the input device to pause the interstitial laser treatment after;

(e) send at least one signal to cause the laser source to emit laser energy if the operator activates the input device to resume a paused interstitial laser treatment;

(f) send at least one signal to cause the laser source to stop emitting laser energy if the third thermistor temperature data set indicates that a designated number of thermistors did not indicate a thermistor temperature;

(g) send at least one signal to cause the laser source to stop emitting laser energy if the fourth thermistor temperature data set indicates that a thermistor of the laser probe is did not indicate a thermistor temperature; and

(h) send at least one signal to cause the laser source to emit laser energy if the operator activates the input device to resume treatment after the microprocessor receives the fourth thermistor temperature data set.

16. The control system of claim 15, wherein the first thermistor temperature data set indicates that each thermistor detects a temperature exceeding approximately 30°

C.-35°

C.

17. The control system of claim 15, wherein the designated maximum temperature is approximately 100°

C.-105°

C.

18. The control system of claim 15, wherein the designated number of thermistors is greater than one and less than all of the thermistors.

19. The control system of claim 15, which includes:

an electro-mechanical shutter switch configured to send at least one signal to the laser source to cause the shutter to close;

an electro-mechanical emergency shutoff switch configured to cut off power to the laser source; and

an electro-mechanical master power switch configured to cut off power to the laser source, the microprocessor, and the thermistor controller.

20. An interstitial laser therapy control system comprising:

a thermistor controller configured to receive data from at least one of a thermistor positioned in a tissue of interest and a thermistor positioned in tissue adjacent to the tissue of interest indicating a temperature detected by at least one thermistor;

a laser source configured to provide laser energy to tissue of interest;

at least one display device;

at least one input device;

at least one memory device; and

a microprocessor configured to operate with at least one display device, at least one input device, at least one memory device, the thermistor controller apparatus, and the laser source to;

(a) receive a thermistor temperature data set;

(b) store the thermistor temperature data set; and

(c) send at least one signal to cause the laser source to emit laser energy if the thermistor temperature data set indicates that each thermistor detects a temperature above a designated minimum treatment temperature.

21. The control system of claim 20, wherein the designated minimum treatment temperature is approximately 30°

C.-35°

C.

22. An interstitial laser therapy control system comprising:

at least one display device;

at least one input device;

at least one memory device; and

a microprocessor configured to operate with at least one display device, at least one input device, and at least one memory device to;

(a) receive a kit identifier inputted using at least one input device, the kit identifier associated with at least one of a laser probe, a thermal probe, an optical fiber, and at least one probe holder;

(b) determine whether the inputted kit identifier is valid; and

(c) if the kit identifier is valid, send at least one signal to cause a laser source to emit laser energy when an operator activates an input device to begin treatment.

23. The control system of claim 22, wherein the kit identifier is valid if it matches a kit identifier stored in at least one memory device.

24. The control system of claim 22, wherein the kit identifier is valid if it satisfies a kit identifier validation algorithm.

25. The control system of claim 24, wherein the kit identifier validation algorithm performs a calculation on a first part of the kit identifier and compares the result to a second part of the kit identifier.

26. The control system of claim 22, wherein the microprocessor is additionally configured to operate with another microprocessor over a network to determine whether the kit identifier is valid.

27. An interstitial laser therapy control system comprising:

a thermistor controller configured to receive a plurality of signals from a plurality of thermistors, determine a plurality of temperatures, and generate a first thermistor temperature data set and a second thermistor temperature data set detected after the first thermistor temperature data set;

a laser source configured to provide laser energy to the tissue of interest; and

a microprocessor configured to;

(a) send at least one signal to cause the laser source to emit a designated amount of laser energy;

(b) send at least one signal to cause the laser source to stop emitting laser energy if the first thermistor temperature data set indicates a thermistor temperature for a thermistor of a laser probe that exceeds a designated temperature; and

(c) send at least one signal to cause the laser source to emit laser energy if the second thermistor data set indicates a thermistor temperature for the thermistor of the laser probe below the designated temperature.

28. The control system of claim 27, wherein the designated temperature is approximately 105°

C.

29. The control system of claim 27, wherein the microprocessor is additionally configured to determine whether an interstitial laser therapy kit is valid based on a kit identifier associated with the interstitial laser therapy kit.

30. The control system of claim 27, wherein the microprocessor is configured to send at least one signal to cause the laser source to stop emitting laser energy if the first thermistor temperature data set indicates that the temperature detected by a thermistor of a thermal probe exceeds a designated success temperature.

31. The control system of claim 30, wherein the designated success temperature is approximately 60°

C.

32. The control system of claim 27, wherein the microprocessor is configured to send at least one signal to cause the laser source to stop emitting laser energy if the first thermistor temperature data set indicates that the temperature detected by each thermistor that detects a thermistor temperature of a thermal probe exceeds a designated success temperature.

33. The control system of claim 32, wherein the designated success temperature is approximately 60°

C.

34. The control system of claim 27, wherein the microprocessor is configured to determine a change in a saline infusion rate based on the first thermistor temperature data set.

35. An interstitial laser therapy control system, the control system comprising:

a thermistor controller configured to determine a thermistor temperature;

a laser source including a shutter, the laser source configured to emit laser energy, and the shutter configured to prevent emission of laser energy by closing to block a laser beam;

a microprocessor configured to operate with the thermistor controller and the laser source; and

an electro-mechanical shutter switch configured to operate with the laser source to send at least one signal to cause the laser source to close the shutter and send at least one signal to the microprocessor indicating the shutter is closed.

36. An interstitial laser therapy control system, the control system comprising:

a thermistor controller apparatus configured to determine a thermistor temperature from a signal received from a thermistor;

a laser source configured to emit laser energy;

an electro-mechanical emergency shutoff switch configured to cut off power to the laser source; and

a microprocessor configured to operate with the laser source to send a plurality of signals to the laser source at regular intervals, wherein if any signal is not successfully sent, the microprocessor is configured to display a message indicating a communication failure between the microprocessor and the laser source.

37. The control system of claim 36, wherein the laser is configured to send a plurality of response signals to the microprocessor at regular intervals and to stop emitting laser energy if any response signal is not successfully sent.

38. The control system of claim 37, wherein if a response signal is not successfully sent, the microprocessor is configured to display a message indicating a communication failure between the microprocessor and the laser source.